The Importance of Giving Your Eyes Protection from Harsh Elements

During the summertime, people don’t want to miss out on going to the beach to have fun and set their minds off of work. Some enjoy swimming while some prefer to relax and bathe under the sun. 

Since they’re exposed to the sun, applying sunscreen is essential to protect the skin from the harmful effects of UV Rays. Aside from protecting the skin, the eyes should be well-protected just as much. 

Sunglasses are essential not only for hitting the beach but for other activities where you need to keep the eyes protected from the sun’s glare. There are other reasons besides using it when the sun is bright. You might find some of the benefits important, especially when you already have eye complications. 

Block Out Harmful Sun Rays

Exposing a person’s eyes to bright light for too long can potentially cause temporary or permanent eye damage. At times, people experience pain or irritation, while others suddenly wake up with blurry vision throughout the entire day. Whenever you are out walking or driving on a hot afternoon, never forget to wear sunglasses to prevent these ailments. 

A good tip is to look for sunglasses with 100% ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B protection. The UVA rays penetrate the dermis, the skin’s thickest layer. The UVB rays, on the other hand, usually burn the superficial skin layers making it one of the main causes of skin cancer. There’s also a time where the UVB rays are more powerful during the peak hours of between 10 am to 2 pm. 

There are well-known diseases and health complications due to the lack of wearing sunglasses. 

• Glaucoma and Cataracts

A cataract causes cloudy areas on the eye’s lens. Prolonged exposure to the UV rays leads to cataract formation. UV exposure may also aggravate the manifestation of Glaucoma, another eye complication, that if left untreated, may lead to permanent blindness. To avoid getting these eye-damaging conditions, wearing sunglasses with complete UV protection is a must. 

• Pterygium

Another name for pterygium is surfer’s eye, which is characterized by a tissue growth on the eyeball itself. Usually, you can remedy this by using eye drops or steroids to stop the pain. In some cases where the surfer’s eye gets worse, one might need surgery. Out of all the remedies mentioned, the best option is still prevention. Most doctors recommend wraparound glasses with complete UV protection. Some would even wear it during cloudy days since there are still harmful UV rays that can damage the eyes. 

• Macular Degeneration

This eye disease is a condition where a bit of the retina deteriorates. Macular degeneration causes impaired vision and sometimes permanent blindness. There are types of UV radiation that may worsen the disease. 

Efficient Healing and Recovery

Sunglasses are important for people who underwent PRK or LASIK surgeries. These kinds of surgeries are done to correct one’s vision. Doctors will recommend patients who underwent surgery to wear a pair of sunglasses at once before stepping out under the sun. 

Wearing the sunglasses not only helps with a quick recovery process, but adds protection to tiny harmful elements like dust and wind. Proper eye care and protection should be observed to ensure no future complications arise.

Your sunglasses are important, especially when you spend most of the day under the sun. There are optical shops like 1001 Optical that have a ton of sunglasses to choose from and suit your needs.